Ondo: Court Returns Alfa Babatunde To Prison

The Ondo State High Court, Akure, has denied the founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Akure, Alfa Babatunde, bail.

Members of his church were disappointed on Thursday after the court refused to grant him bail and ordered that he be taken back to the Olokuta Correctional Centre, Akure.

The High Court on Thursday began hearing of the case of Babatunde and six others.

The cleric and six other workers in his church were arrested and are standing trial for the disappearance of one-year-old Gold Kolawole, who was allegedly abducted in the church.

Recall that the Kolawole was kidnapped during a church service in November 2019 and his whereabouts remain hidden.

The police arraigned the pastor and his workers on six counts and have been remanded in the prison since their arrest.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them by the police during the first hearing of the case.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Bola Joel-Okudadegbe, asked the court for a short adjournment to enable her to prepare the seven witnesses listed for the case.

The counsel of the cleric, Olusola Oke, pray for the court to grant his client bail but the DPP opposed the prayers on the grounds that there were many applications in that respect.

The Judge in charge of the ruling, Olusegun Odusoka, promised to give the case accelerated hearing and adjourned till March 16,17 and 19, 2020 for further hearing.

The defendants were later returned to prison.

The defence counsel, Olusola Oke, while speaking with newsmen after the ruling called on all security agencies involved in the matter to do a thorough investigation for truth and justice to prevail.